No. 12 Issaquah holds off No. 2 Todd Beamer to earn fourth-place trophy
The Issaquah girls basketball team entered the 4A state tournament with a 19-9 record and the No. 12 seed.
It’s safe to say, the Eagles were an underdog.
When it was over, the Issaquah had won three games in four days and left with a fourth-place trophy. The Eagles capped off their tournament run with a 67-56 win over second-ranked Todd Beamer on Saturday morning.
Issaquah took control of the game in the second quarter when they outscored the Titans 18-5. Issaquah made five 3s in the first two quarters and shot close to 40 percent, while Todd Beamer struggled, shooting just 4-for-24 (16.7 percent).
“It’s a little contagious,” Issaquah head coach Doug Crandall said. “A couple go in and girls see it. I think we were having fun. I think there is something really helpful about coming and not feeling burdened by it. Our goal was to get here. We knew we were a good team. We had a lot of close losses this year. I don’t think we lost to a team that wasn’t in the top-10 at some point in the season.
“When we got here, we were just like, ‘Hey, why not?’ You can see it on the floor. They like each other. They share the ball, and when you’re having fun, I think shots fall.”
The Eagles were led, as they were throughout the tournament, by junior forward Alivia Stephens, who finished with 15 points and eight rebounds. The Eagles have just three seniors on their roster and Stephens returning, meaning another tournament run is a definite possibility next season.
“It just says a lot about what we can do next year and how far we can make it,” Stephens said. “(At the Tacoma Dome) any team can beat any team.”
The Eagles led by as many as 21 points in the third quarter, but the Titans didn’t go quietly. They made a run in the fourth quarter and cut the deficit to just four points. Crandall admitted the run put him on edge.
“It was nerve-racking,” Crandall said. “We knew they were a really good team, and you saw them get down a little bit as we scored the first four points of the second half and there was that moment where you hoped that they were going to give up, and then they got a little spark and it was scary, but it made it more fun. I’m proud of our girls.”
On the other side, Todd Beamer head coach Corey Alexander expected nothing less than the fight his team showed, even in defeat.
“It shows that we have heart,” Alexander said. “Four games in a row, it’s tough. It’s tough for anybody. We fought back. The girls decided that this was our senior year, let’s play for each other and see what happens.”
Alexander was referring to his three senior stars, Sharay Trotter, Halo Parks and Aaliyah Alexander, as well as fellow seniors Alexus Jackson, Najahia Forks and Brooklyn Humphrey.
Alexander led all scorers with 28 points and was a perfect 14-for-14 from the free-throw line.
“It’s been a joy coaching them for four years,” Alexander said of his seniors. “Their growth, and their playing for one another, it’s been fun. …They’re going to be missed.”
At Tacoma Dome
Todd Beamer- 11 5 20 20 - 56
Issaquah- 15 18 16 18 - 67
Todd Beamer – Sharay Trotter 10, Halo Parks 6, Najahia Forks 7, Aaliyah Alexander 28, Brooklyn Humphrey 1, Alexus Jackson 0, Alisaundria Hardwell 2, Jayoscia Sears 0, Elena Montifo-Faitaua 0, Kemera Hardwell 2. Issaquah – Camryn Gibson 11, Keira Hanson 2, Lauren Frueh 11, Alivia Stephens 15, Katie Macnary 13, Azra Sunderland 0, Erin Schobbe 0, Shea Dillon 6, Kiera Slippern 0, Mercedes Tinder 8, Hannah Cameron 1, Katie Kellum 0.